Certain known vehicle navigation devices display a present position on a map and provide driving route guidance, and vehicles carrying such devices have become common. With these navigation devices, the setting of a destination results in the setting of a route to the destination, and route guidance based on the set route is performed during driving. In particular, since it is unsafe or impossible to view the display while driving, it is preferable that the guidance, such as for a left or right turn at the intersection, be given by voice. At intervals of 700 m, 300 m, and 100 m before an intersection, the driver is informed by voice to turn left or right at the approaching intersection. For example, the voice announces "turn left at XX intersection XX m ahead."
In this manner, preferred route guidance is performed in which the driver can be informed of left or right turns at an intersection without having to look at the display. An example of this type of voice-based route guidance is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 7-209004.
However, there are also instances where voice guidance such as "XX m ahead" is unclear as to the intersection where a left or right turn is to be made, especially for an intersection having non-perpendicular roads (such as an intersection of five or six roads or an interchange) or for close intersections as are common in urban areas where, if a left turn is to be made at an intersection located 100 m ahead, there are instances in which it is unclear as to how a left turn is to be made at what intersection. Furthermore, although an expressions such as "diagonally to the right" can also be employed, there are instances in which it is not possible to make the voice guidance easily understandable.